Crockpot Taco Soup

While there is certainly no shortage of crockpot taco soup recipes out there, I figured I’d go ahead and throw mine in the mix too.

I wouldn’t say there is necessarily anything inherently special about my recipe compared to others. I don’t have any curveballs or unexpected ingredients. What I can offer though, is a tried and true recipe that can suit (or be adjusted to suit) just about any taste or specialty diet. This recipe is already gluten free, dairy free, grain free and ‘clean.’ You could easily ditch the beans and add more vegetables to make it legume free also. Vegetarian/vegan? Ditch the chicken and add rice, quinoa or more beans — or a combination of the 3. You can also use any type of broth.

That’s what I love about soups — they’re so easy to adjust to suit your needs. The way I made this recipe is not at all spicy and is 100% organic. It’s not super broth-y and I chose to omit dairy totally to help lighten it up — although you could easily sprinkle some cheese or add a dollop of sour cream to your bowl and it would be delicious.

This recipe will freeze wonderfully after being cooked, so be sure to double up and save leftovers for a quick dinner later on.

So, without further ado…

Crockpot Taco Soup

12 oz. bone-in chicken thighs
2 cups salsa
2 cups chicken bone broth
3 cups black beans, cooked (If using canned, drain the liquid.)
2 cups frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, diced (I used some leftover that I had frozen)
1/2 cup pickled, sliced jalapenos (We buy a mild variety, but you can use spicy too)
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno juice
Taco seasoning — You can use a packet here if you like. I haven’t found a packet that it organic that I like, so I just rummaged through my spice cabinet and threw in a bunch of different ones. This is the rough measurement I used: 1 tablespoon oregano, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt. (When the soup is done cooking, taste and adjust, if needed.)Place the chicken thighs in a pot, cover with water and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a low boil and cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165. (About 10-15 minutes.) Remove the chicken from the pot, place on a cutting board and set aside to cool.

Combine all of the remaining ingredients in your crockpot.

Once the chicken has cooled enough to be handled, remove the meat from the bones, cut into bite sized pieces and place in the crockpot. Stir it all together and cook on low for 8 hours.